Who Is at Risk for Deep Venous Thrombosis?

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that usually develops in a leg vein. Quick treatment can prevent life-threatening complications of DVT, but the symptoms are sometimes confusing to nonexistent. 

Chuan Jiang, MD, is a board-certified pulmonologist, nephrologist, and internal medicine physician with a busy practice in Flushing, New York. One of Dr. Chuan’s medical specialties is diagnosing and treating DVTs and associated health complications, including pulmonary embolism.

Read Dr. Chuan’s insight regarding DVT risk factors and symptoms that may signal a problem.

What is a deep venous thrombosis?

A deep venous thrombosis is a blood clot that develops in a deep vein, usually in your lower leg, thigh, or pelvis. Depending on its size, a clot may partially or fully block blood flow through the vein. A clot can also break free from a deep vein and travel to the lungs.

When a clot reaches the lungs, it’s called a pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE can block blood flow through the lungs. This results in tissue death in the affected lung, impairing its ability to deliver oxygen to the rest of the body. Without treatment, a pulmonary embolism can quickly become life-threatening as it affects oxygen levels in the heart, brain, and other organs.    

Fortunately, DVTs typically respond well to early treatment. Even clots that travel to the lungs and form a pulmonary embolism are treatable. 

What are the symptoms of deep venous thrombosis?

Not everyone with a clot experiences symptoms. However, some of the more common signs of DVT in the legs include:

• Sudden swelling in one leg that does not decrease with elevating the leg
• Cramping pain in the affected leg, often in the calf region
• Red to blue to purple skin discoloration
• Unusual paleness in the affected leg
• Increased warmth in the leg

Sudden changes in a varicose vein, such as new tenderness or hardening, may also indicate a clot forming in a superficial vein. While not as likely to result in pulmonary embolism, these smaller clots require attention.

What are the risk factors for deep venous thrombosis?

Anyone of any age can develop a DVT. However, common risk factors include:

Age

DVTs are more common after age 60, possibly due to other health issues like heart failure that increase your risk.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy increases pressure in your pelvic and leg veins, increasing your risk of DVT during pregnancy and up to six weeks after delivery.

Decreased mobility

Muscle contractions in your legs that occur when you walk help move blood through your leg veins. Sitting still for long periods at your desk, during a car trip, or while you have a prolonged illness increases your risk of DVT.

Heart failure

Declining heart function related to heart failure dramatically increases your risk of DVT and pulmonary embolism.

Other factors that increase your risk of DVT include:

• Excess weight
• Hormone replacement
• Oral contraceptives
• Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
• Genetic disorders that affect clotting factors 
• Recent surgery or injury 

If you’ve had a blood clot or pulmonary embolism in the past, you’re also at greater risk of developing a DVT.

How do you treat deep venous thrombosis?

Treatment goals for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) are to prevent the clot from growing larger and stop it from breaking away and traveling to the lungs, where it becomes a life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE). Dr. Chuan then focuses on decreasing your risk of developing another clot.

Your treatment strategy may include medication such as blood thinners to prevent the clot from growing larger and decrease your risk of future clots. Customized compression stockings can also improve blood flow in the legs.

If you don’t respond to medications, Dr. Chuan may also consider implanting a filter in a large vein in your abdomen (vena cava filter) to prevent clots from reaching the lungs.

Schedule a visit with Dr. Chuan today for more information about treating DVT and reducing your risk factors. Call the office or request an appointment online.